The Meeting of Many
It was not so many days later, the apostles met and began traveling south and west and some even north, to tell and teach this Good-News that had now come upon many. I can remember that multitudes in those days were being healed and were filled with the understanding of Christ as the Holy Spirit had fallen upon many. It was not long after Simon tried buying the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem that we would separate to go in different directions preaching the Word that was given to us daily. As for the four of us that usually traveled together, we again went toward the holy city.
It was good that each of us had these little breaks, as they too were enlightening times. We’d share with one another the experiences each were having, as we spent these times with our family and friends, learning much from the acquaintances that each had in their daily visits to town, and all that was being said, as many-a story was told of events and happenings, that made their way into the villages and towns scattered throughout this southern region.
The one story that often came up was of this certain man that had a reputation of coming against those that came to Christ. In fact we’d heard that he was there when Stephen was stoned, and aggravated it on. This man’s name was Saul, and he was known, by permission from his superiors, to wreak havoc upon as many as fell within his grasp, including death by making human torches out of them. But in the rumor that each of us had heard, and several times each, we heard that this same Saul was preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and was now a changed man. The man was bold, according to rumor, and taught and preached in every synagogue that was in his path, and that is; his experience on some road going to some town and his encounter with the Lord. As of yet, we have not gotten all the information, but still it made for good talk as we continued walking toward Jerusalem.
We’d walked awhile, and talked awhile, and sometimes we’d not talk at all, and at other times we’d meet someone, and they’d recognize us, and maybe asked a question, or maybe tell of an experience that they too had with the Lord. All in all, the whole lot of us enjoyed being together. The days were cool, the nights cooler, and when we stopped for the night, the fire made for a closer encounter, as we’d set telling of the people that were seen healed in the name of Jesus.
John asked, while poking a stick in the fire, if anyone understood what Thomas was going through. There was a silence for a minute or two before James spoke up; “Of course all of us know that he too was changed at Pentecost, but didn’t all of you know that Thomas is one of the strongest believers, and God has wrought great works through him?”
John was rolling flat bread into ball, stuffing it with dates, and had a mouth full when he tried telling us of the people that he’d seen healed by God’s works in Thomas. It took several attempts before John could get it out his mouth, but when he did, all rejoiced, the times together were good.
It was on this trip that the four of us decided to split up again, for I had it in my heart to go along the coast of the great sea, all were in agreement. We prayed together, hug, and took off in the direction that each thought the Lord was calling us in; I went to Joppa passing thru, stopping only to eat, and talked to very few while there, then went on to Lydda.
A small crowd had assembled just outside of the village, and I preached in authority as all were eager to hear, about this new Life that was available through the resurrection of Jesus. Staying there; or there about, for a few days, many manifestations were seen by no small amount of people, as the Spirit moved upon many. And the Lord had moved on a man called Anarias. He had been paralyzed for over eight years and was completely bedridden, but was then completely healed, and could walk normal. The deliverance was at the sound of the name of Jesus, when spoken into the air, even His name held that much authority. There was nowhere any of us went, that the power of Christ was not there. It was then that a certain man from Joppa was sent to me, and asked if I’d return with him, for one of our dearest disciples, named Tabitha, had gotten very sick and died.
Now this lady was very dear to all the apostles, and was known for her loving deeds and good works, as she expressed her love for the Lord everywhere that she went, and she seemed to go numerous places, for she was well known throughout the region. It was then that I was approached and told about her death, and would I come to Joppa? Not but a mere days’ walk, I immediately stopped and went straightway to the city of Joppa where she now lay. Being taken to the upper room, where more than a few women were weeping and making preparations on the body, and showing the evidence of Tabitha’s good works by holding the garments and tunics had she had made for them and many others, for Tabitha was surly dead, and these were their remembrances of a lady well liked and deserving of high honors. I asked that each would leave as I walked toward where she lay with a shroud over her body, including her face. As I knelt next to her, turning as I pulled the garment off the face, said in a whisper of a voice; “Tabitha arise.” Instantly, without hesitation, she sat up and smiled, as I reached for her hand, and smiled back, she was no more in the midst of the dead, but now talking as if nothing at all had happened. We both walked out together from the room that just moments ago she lay dead, and presented her alive and well to her many friends that waited on my return, but not expecting this moment.
The news had spread throughout that area next to the great sea, and many believed on Jesus the Christ, and others also were healed of diverse diseases, as I was asked to stay for a time, teaching them with truth. One Simon, a tanner by trade, asked if I’d stay with him, and this I did for many days. More than a few were healed, and many came to an intimate relationship with Christ through His Words, and the manifestations of His works thru me and several others that proclaimed His Word. Miracles and wonderful works from God thru us was common-place, some would even call them extraordinary, but I thought it was extraordinary if they didn’t happen.
**********************
Now in those days the Roman soldiers had been commissioned to seek and find those, the followers of Jesus’ teachings, and cause chaos, if not complete turmoil and devastation in their lives. Each that had an encounter with the Lord, knew of this, but lived as if nothing had been ordered against them, yet still understood that their lives were in danger, but continued without ceasing the forwarding of God’s Word. In the back of our mind, the disasters from the soldiers remained, but our commission prevailed at every level of the heart. So we continued steadfastly. These wonders and works were not wrought thru our flesh, for no man in his carnal ways can are used, but the living Spirit of God living within us could, and He did.
125 One evening after expounding to a group of men and women just inside the gate to the city, I was the one touched in the inner being of my soul, of the wonderful things that were happening, and most through the speaking of His Word, I was grateful. And coming back to my friends’ house, the sun just barely over the tops of the horizon, I sat to meditate on all of His events that were worked through us. I knew they were happening, and I understood why and how, but for the life of me, I didn’t understand why a lowly fisherman like me was being used, when, what seemed like so many others that looked well qualified, were not.
I sat there with my back leaned against the porch of Simons’ house, and watched the many seagulls search and divide for their last meal of the day, and began to pray.
“Lord God, you are the God of all, for no other god can stand beside you, for you alone stand in your’ might, your wisdom, your knowledge, your understanding, for you alone are the God of all heaven and earth. Not the earth only, but also the stars, the planets, the comets, the moon, and all the space between them, for of a truth, you are the only true and living God, and I thank you. I thank you for being who you are, where you are, and how you are, you are my God, and not mine alone, but all that was created by you, all that is made in your similitude, and all that were not, for even the mountains, the rocks, the ground that we walk on, and the sea that we sail on, all have been formed by your Word. I beseech you Father to open within me the hope of your Kingdom, to come to that complete understanding of your existence, to know you within my deepest being.”
I continued for some time in prayer, as I was in awe of all that was His, and still wanted to know why He had chosen me above others. At least that was the way I was thinking back then. Why did he choose me and the others to walk with Jesus, a lowly bunch, some, like me with little education, to sit at the feet, day and night, to watch and learn from the true Son-of-God? Why were others overlooked, were we better than them, did I have something they didn’t have? Did God love us more? These and many other thoughts came to mind while leaning against those bare stones. I continued in prayer:
“Lord you once said that you could make the rocks turn into Abrahams’ children, and they too would praise and worship you if you wanted them to. There is none that’s not yours, even the creeping and crawling things are under your’ might; why are some people seemed to be ignored, especially those of other nations? There are places for me to go, and I believe that you Father, want to take me there, so help me to become that living vessel, that I may follow. All praise and honor and glory and thanksgiving, belong to you, and you alone; for of a truth, your’ Kingdom, your’ Glory, your’ Power and your’ Word is forever and ever, Amen.”
Although my thinking was by no means to full maturity, at the time, I thought it was. I was mistaken. Mistaken in the point that us apostles, especially me, were important, and we were, but not to the stretch that I was thinking. It took some time and meditation trueing myself to the standard of Jesus to realize just how much further I had yet to go.
Feeling refreshed as I inventoried my life, the shore birds scavenging for their last morsel before all light had vanished, I realized that nothing was taken for nourishment this whole day, I was hungry, very hungry. As I went in the house, the smell was obvious that foods were being prepared, which added to my sense of hunger, so walking up the steps, I went to the roof top, where it was a might cooler, just to wait.
It was now fully dark, the night sky filled with its’ many specks of stars, noises from up and down the coast could be heard thru the night air as if they were made right under me, and smells of food being cooked from the many houses that lined the shore, I fell asleep. You might even call it a trance, and I saw a vision.
And Heaven opened up, and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to me and was let down from heaven to earth. In it were all kinds of four footed animals of the earth, wild beast, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to me; “rise Peter, kill and eat.” But I said, not so Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And a voice came again the second time; “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up to Heaven again.
Now as I wondered within of what this vision that I had seen, and what it meant, three men were at the door of house of Simon, the tanner, at the gate asking if Peter lodged here. Still in thought of the vision, the Spirit said to me; “Behold three men are seeking you, arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.”
Going down the stairs, my mind still fogged with the vision, I met the three men that said that their master, a centurion, had sent them to me. They said; “Cornelius, a just man, one that fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angle to summon you to his house, and to hears words from you, but as you know, he himself is not a Jew.”
As I spoke earlier that many works were being done by the power of Jesus, even some at the sound of His name, but this vision still had me a little perplexed as I attempted to focus because of what just happened moments ago. Not wanting to reestablish some of my old habits of making quick decisions, I asked them in the house. This was also an opportunity to refocus at the task at hand, for the Spirit told me to doubt nothing.
After we talked awhile, and all slept through the night; the next morning, taking a few of the other brothers with me, we set off from Joppa for the two day journey. The journey began as a brisk walk on a beautiful morning, with many of the song birds singing their greeting of the new day. Several scorpions scattered as we rounded the first corner trying to make their way back to the hole they had excavated before the suns’ heat scorched the day. Not long after the mid-day sun, the wind started swirling in small dust devils that could be seen in the endless plains of the desert. But not two hours later did that wind turn to a full-fledge sand storm, blowing so hard that the six of us took shelter between a group of out-cropped boulders, they’d looked as though a hand had placed them there from the ancient past.
Settling in we attempted eating the flat bread that was carried with us on our travels, but it was much too gritty as the sands had penetrated every crevice of our being and belongings. Hunkered amidst this group of large stones, that had a similar expression about them of giants looking down, maybe even watching over us, as we did have a reprieve from the wind, but not the sand. Only an hour or so later our small group set off once more in the direction of this ordained trip.
The following day as we entered the town, and went straight to Cornelius’ house, I could tell that he was waiting on us, as he had assembled his friends and family. And when walking in, Cornelius fell to the ground before me as in worship, but I told him to stand back up, as I myself, am also a man.
We sat and talked, as I explained that a Jewish man is not to keep company with, nor enter into the house of a man from another nation, that it was unlawful. But God has shown me in a vision that I should not call any man common or unclean, therefore I am here without objection, for whatever reasons you have sent for me.
Cornelius explained that four days ago, a man in the brightest of clothing appeared to him, as he was fasting, and that his prayers were heard, and to send to Joppa for a man called Simon, whose surname was Peter, lodging by the sea, and you would speak to me and I would hear all things commanded to you by God.
Watching this man, with his pleasant demeanor, and his relaxed temperament, and his soft voice, I pondered this as it was the same day the Spirit gave me the vision on the roof top. It was God, and it was all God that was putting this together for reasons that as yet I didn’t know.
As the rather large group of us sat in silence, it was as if an outward force was working inward in each of us, an image of expressions from my soul, or maybe the heart of my heart, the morrow of my being, began articulating utterances from within. And I opened my mouth and said:
“In a truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, whoever fears Him in love is accepted by Him. The Word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all…It was proclaimed throughout Judea, and began in Galilee after the baptism that John preached; how God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with Power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed…And we were witnesses of that which he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging Him on a tree.
It was Him that God raised on the third day, and showed Him openly,…and He arose from the dead.
As I was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those that heard, and those of the circumcision that were with me, believed also, as they too were astonished, as many as came on the trip with me. Because the Gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also, and many were brought by God into the Church that day, His presence was more real in that place than it was when I walked with Him throughout Judea. Lives were changing before our eyes; mine too was evolving as God continued working in me.